Murder At Menlo Park: Retrofuture Murder Mystery Party Game
Curious people and curious inventions await you in Menlo Park!
During the 1904 World’s Fair, Dr. Ari Jacobson and Dr. Julian Shaw debuted their marvelous creation, The Animatronic Man. Despite great interest, they dissolved their partnership shortly after, leaving their invention unfinished. Eleven years later, WWI rages in Europe, and the Germans have just sunk the Lusitania. The call for America to join the war grows louder, and the now Professor Jacobson has announced a mysterious new invention after years of exile. They have invited guests from their past and present to a special reveal in Menlo Park, the small quaint town they've lived in for years.
Group Size: 7-15 players
Play Time: 2-3 Hours
Difficulty: Easy to host
Format: Instant download and print and play (no shipping wait)
Content Warnings: Mild violence, mild romance, and suggestive themes
Recommended For Ages 13+
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My friends and I had such a fun time playing Murder at Menlo Park! As the organizer, I felt like I had plenty of instructions to feel in control throughout the night. It was a tough mystery to solve - only one player guessed it right!”
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐We decided to use a Foulplay Games murder mystery party because they were local to us and we had a blast at their pop up game at Emerald City. There were sub-stories and sub-connections within the game, but we didn’t have to understand everything that was going on all at once. We could focus on our small group of characters and branch out from there. We knew Foulplay’s stories would let us become the best party hosts!”
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐The game went GREAT– we even caught the killer! Everyone had a great time and asked when the next one will be. We decided to host two parties a year and cannot wait for the next one!”
Play Your Way
Visit the quaint town of Menlo Park and solve a murder with 7 -15 friends online or in person! Play as a genius inventor, a titan of industry, an intrepid reporter, or any number of fun characters! All our characters are gender-neutral so it’s easy to include everyone!
Download Instantly
No waiting for your game to arrive; your purchase will download instantly upon check-out, allowing you to get started right away planning your game night. The Host receives full instructions on how to organize and they can even play themselves without knowing the identity of the murderer!
Super Sleuth
There are no scripts, you decide how to play your character and accomplish their goals and objectives. Players can blackmail, bribe, lie, trade secrets and rumors, and work together to piece together the clues as they see fit.
Every Murder Mystery Party Kit Comes With:
Including: a Host Guide (Preview!) walking you through all the steps you need to host your game, Character Profiles (Preview!), Goals and Objectives (Preview!), Name Tags (Preview!) and Play Money (Preview!), Item Cards, and Foulplay Cards, Whodunnit Forms, Best Costume, Best Performer, Shadiest Player, and Wealthiest Player Award, the Evidence and Solution, a Pinterest Board and Spotify Playlist and BONUS: Instructions on how to host your game online if you choose!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes! You can absolutely play. We give you a spoiler-free host setup, so you don’t learn the solution unless you want to.
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Not at all. The host guide walks you through every step.
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It can take as little as a couple hours to print and prepare your party and you can do it in the same day if you would like. We format our materials in black and white for easy printing.
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While you only need a couple of hours to print and prepare your party, most hosts prefer at least a week to give their guests time to read over their profile, get excited, and find a costume for their role.
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Very minimally! As host, you will send players their Character Profiles ahead of time, which will prepare them for your party.
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Costumes are optional, but highly encouraged. And there is a Best Costume award at every murder mystery party!
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Yes and they are covering their tracks!
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Because the victim does die during the toast at our murder mystery parties, we have included another suspect for them to come back as after their “death”. They are not out of the game, and that extra suspect is included in the player count.
“Murder at Menlo Park went GREAT– we even caught the killer! Everyone had a great time and asked when the next one will be. If you are on the fence about hosting a murder mystery party, do it! And do it with Foulplay. Their breakdown of the game for the host is phenomenal. It’s very easy to read and follow. I have a lot of anxiety around planning and prep–it can be super overwhelming for me. Foulplay’s format and delivery makes it SO easy to plan that I felt I could handle it the entire time!”
Read more for Chandler’s experience hosting Murder at Menlo Park
+ Characters/Suspects (Click to Expand)
Professor Ari Jacobson - GN
A Professor of Science at Rossum University, they were hailed as a genius when their invention, The Animatronic Man, made its debut at the 1904 World’s Fair. After a public falling out with their inventing partner, Dr. Shaw, they were ridiculed for their outrageous ideas about mechanical utopias. They have been living in exile in Menlo Park for over a decade.
Dr. Julian Shaw - GN
The other half of the partnership behind the famed Animatronic Man, Julian started their own telecommunications company, Shaw Teleworks, after the public falling out between them and Professor Jacobson. According to Julian, Professor Jacobson turned away many lucrative offers to continue prospering their invention because the price simply wasn’t high enough.
Rory Jacobson - GN
The only child of Professor Jacobson, Rory is quite the opposite of their mechanically-minded parent. A concert pianist, Rory has received accolades for their music career, something Professor Jacobson does not seem to be very impressed with.
Sydney Green - GN
Professor Jacobson’s new House Manager. They are quite young to have risen to such an esteemed position in the estate, but Professor Jacobson has nothing but praise for their cleverness and their remarkable ability to manage the various tasks of the house with such efficiency.
Jordan Baker - GN
Professor Jacobson’s assistant. They seem to be quite intelligent, if not a bit aloof. They study at Rossum University and are rumored to be Professor Jacobson’s protégé, although they claim to know nothing of tonight’s unveiling.
Mayor Torrance Henson - GN
The long-time mayor of Menlo Park, Mayor Henson takes pride in the small and quaint atmosphere of the town. They seem very excited to welcome all of these distinguished visitors to their small town!
Sheriff Myer Williams - GN
The local law in Menlo Park, their job is pretty easy, as Menlo Park is such a peaceful place. As a long-time Menlo Park resident, they were asked by Professor Jacobson to make sure new friends and old enemies get along tonight.
Morgan Hopkins - GN
Morgan is the head of Rossum University in nearby Rossum City. They have only been in the position for a short period of time, but they are very supportive of Professor Jacobson’s work.
Rene Andrews - GN
A colleague of Professor Jacobson’s at Rossum University. They seem to be a bit ruffled at Professor Jacobson’s success, but nonetheless seem to be just as intrigued as everyone else at the Professor’s work and advancement of the sciences.
Leslie Coleman - GN
A late-bloomer in the world of industry, Leslie is nonetheless a successful entrepreneur catering to the wealthy through their luxury railcar service. They always seem to have their eye on the next big thing for the elite, which explains why they are here for Professor Jacobson’s reveal.
Drew Thatcher - GN
A well-known industry leader, they have their funding in many proverbial pies through their company, Thatcher Industries. From meat-packing plants and textiles, to railroads and airplanes, Drew certainly seems to have jumped right in on the rails of modern production.
Leighton Call - GN
A high-up from the United States government, Leighton is representing the State Department’s interest in this new invention.
Elliot Glove - GN:
A reporter for The National Journal, Elliot was the first to break the news as a brand new reporter eleven years ago about the falling out between Professor Jacobson and Dr. Shaw. They are here to report on this exciting new reveal and maybe get a few new leads as well.
Kay O’Malley - GN Leader of the largest worker’s union in the country, Kay is tough and shrewd when it comes to fighting the brutal conditions of factories for workers. Professor Jacobson has always been supportive of worker’s rights, so it is no surprise Kay would be here on this special occasion.
Kerry Jacobson - GN
Professor Jacobson’s cousin. They were close as children but drifted apart when the Professor went to college and began their idea for the Animatronic Man. Kerry seems to disapprove of Professor Jacobson’s passion for invention, leading to some tension.
Mason Keeler - GN
Mason is the Mayor’s new assistant. After a disastrous first week on the job, Mason is eager to prove themselves tonight.
Our Guarantee
We care about our customers! For our online game sales, we have a 14-day money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at foulplaycompany@gmail.com within 14 days of your purchase date for a full refund. We reserve the right to limit customers to one refund per lifetime.